Publication

This briefing notes the important progress that has been made in Serbia's Presevo Valley since the local insurgency ended in 2001. But, it warns of the potential for retaliatory violence related to the final status decision on neighboring Kosovo in 2006. It suggests that the ability of the Presevo Valley to prevent a negative spillover depends on Serbia's response to Kosovo's independence. In order to forestall conflict between ethnic Serbians and Albanians, the briefing urges the international community to step up its political engagement in the valley and the Serbian government to create institutional safeguards to prevent targeting of minority groups.